1. Technical Field
In one or more embodiments, the present invention relates to a diagnostic system and a method of performing diagnostics and, more specifically, to a vehicle diagnostic system and method of performing vehicle diagnostics.
2. Background Art
The prior art contains various examples of systems and methods of communicating vehicle diagnostics between a vehicle and a remote terminal. U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,740 B2 issued to Lowrey et al is directed to an internet-based vehicle diagnostic system. Lowrey provides for a system for monitoring a vehicle that includes a wireless appliance in electrical contact with an in-vehicle computer. The wireless appliance features: 1) a data-collection component that supports communication software that collects diagnostic data from the computer and 2) a data-transmission component, in electrical communication with the data-collection electronics, configured to transmit an outgoing data packet comprising the diagnostic data over a network and receive over the same network an incoming data packet that modifies the communication software. The wireless appliance communicates with a host computer system that is configured to: 1) receive the outgoing data packet from the network; 2) process the outgoing data packet to generate a set of vehicle diagnostic data; 3) host a web site on the Internet that displays the vehicle diagnostic data; and 4) send out the incoming data packet over the same network to modify the communication software.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,790 B1 issued to Lightner et al, is directed to a wireless diagnostic system and method for monitoring vehicles. Lightner provides for a method and apparatus for remotely characterizing a vehicle's performance. The method features the steps of: i) generating data representative of the vehicle's performance with at least one microcontroller disposed within the vehicle; ii) transferring the data through an OBD, OBD-II or equivalent electrical connector to a data collector/router that includes a microprocessor and an electrically connected wireless transmitter; iii) transmitting a data packet representing the data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a wireless communications system and then to a host computer; and iv) analyzing the data packet with the host computer to characterize the vehicle's performance.
US Publication No. 2002/0173885 for Lowrey et al is directed to an internet-based system for monitoring vehicles. Lowrey provides for a method for monitoring a vehicle that features the steps of: 1) generating a data packet including vehicle data retrieved from the vehicle using a wireless appliance; 2) transmitting the data packet over an airlink with the wireless appliance so that the data packet passes through a network and to a host computer system; 3) processing the data packet with the host computer system to generate a set of data; and 4) displaying the set of data on a web page hosted on the internet.
While the prior art provides tools useful for their purposes, what is needed is a vehicle diagnostic system and method of performing vehicle diagnostics that can provide a vehicle owner notice of severe vehicle conditions.